A Galway seaweed feed company has secured a deal with a leading manufacturer in the UK.

Oceanfeed, based in Milltown, Co Galway will be joining up with Battles UK, a British manufacturer of animal health and equestrian products.

US and Vietnam

Oceanfeed was created eleven years ago and produces seaweed based formulas based on the bioactive ingredients present in the different brown, green and red seaweeds that replace the synthetic and other less desirable ingredients found in a variety of agricultural and aquacultural feed ingredients, such as antibiotics or synthetic colorants.

Since 2011, the company has expanded to the US and Vietnam and will now take its produce to the UK market.

The company’s focus for the past number of years has been centred on how to eradicate synthetics and chemicals out of aqua and agrifeeds and replace them with natural sustainable organic feed ingredients, i.e. macroalgae or seaweeds.

UK market

Dr Stefan Kraan who co-created the company with Patrick Martin, said the exclusive deal was “more than a sales platform” and will provide access to an increasingly lucrative UK market.

With reports from The British Equestrian Trade Association’s National Equestrian Survey 2015 reporting the UK Equestrian Market share has grown from an estimated £3,600 spent on each horse in 2015 compared with £2,650 in 2011.

Richard Dewey, director of Battles UK said that Oceanfeed had "proven itself in the major studs and racing stables of Ireland and now, with approximately two thousand stores supported by Battles distribution, we will be able to provide the entire UK".

Read more

Profits halve at Centenary co-op